The Enduring Chill
by Hikari Kaitou
Summary: It was nice to know that Germany was there if Prussia needed someone to lean on, on the rare occasion he could swallow his considerable pride long enough to do so.


**A/N: **Written for the kink meme. The prompt was as follows: "This is simple and sweet: Germany, being a good younger brother to Prussia/East Germany.

I've seen so many fills where Germany is so disgusted with his brother that he apparently forgets the other exists and whatever, and they make me sad. While I'm sure, just looking at their personalities and canon, Prussia probably embarrasses Germany terribly at times and that Germany probably does tend to react with slight suspicion rather then eyelid batting trust, I... still think that Germany probably cares a lot, lot, lot about Prussia.

I totally ship Germancest, so if you want to go that route, that's lovely, but I'd like to see Germany acting like a good little brother because he loves his brother rather then 'because I'm trying to get in your pants', if... that works. I dunno. "

I don't really go for the whole incest thing so I went for a more platonic angle... at least that's what I intended. I suppose you could read it in other ways if you like.

* * *

It was a little past two thirty in the morning when Germany awoke with a start, overcome by the disconcerting feeling that he was no longer alone. He sat bolt upright in bed, immediately alert. There was a tall, dark figure near the door, draped in a cloak, or perhaps a blanket, just watching him silently. When he sat up the figure jumped, startled by his sudden movement.

"Who's there?" Germany demanded.

"Me," a familiar voice replied.

"…Brother?" Germany asked, puzzled. "What are you doing in my room?"

There was a long pause. It was too dark for him to see well, but by the moonlight streaming in through his window, Germany could see that his brother's head was hung and that he was shrugging his shoulders.

"It was cold in my room, so…" Prussia mumbled, embarrassed, his voice a bit croaky. He shrugged again. "Forget it. Sorry for waking you up."

Prussia turned to leave. Germany frowned into the darkness, trying to make sense of that exchange. Something wasn't right here; Prussia's voice was strange and the way he'd been holding himself was distinctly less straight-backed and proud than usual. Germany got out of bed and went after him. Prussia jumped again when Germany grabbed his shoulder.

"Why did you really come, Brother?" Germany asked.

Prussia was silent for another long moment. "You don't listen, huh, West? I said 'it was cold in my room'. But it's not a big deal; I'll just go get another blanket from the closet. Go back to bed."

Germany noticed that Prussia really was trembling slightly. "Are you not feeling well?" he asked, bringing a hand to Prussia's forehead to check his temperature. Germany frowned; there might have been a slight fever there but he wasn't sure.

Prussia jerked away from his younger brother's touch belatedly. "I feel fine. Just go back to bed already."

"Were you hoping to share my bed?" Germany ventured.

His guess was met by another embarrassed silence. Germany spared him from having to answer by patting his shoulder. "Well, you're welcome to do so if you choose. I'm going back to my room now, Brother."

Germany turned from him and headed back toward his own room. Prussia followed at a slight distance and when Germany got into bed Prussia hesitated for a brief moment before joining him under the covers. For a long while there was silence between them, each keeping to their own side of the bed.

"Brother… I can't sleep when I know something's bothering you," Germany said finally.

Prussia sniffed. "I don't wanna talk about it."

Germany glanced over at his older brother. In the moonlight, he could see that there were tear tracks on Prussia's cheeks. He reached up to touch them in silent awe, unconvinced that they were really there, but Prussia blushed brilliantly and hid his face in the pillow. Germany withdrew his hand, feeling a bit guilty for picking at him when he was already down.

"Is there any way I can help?" Germany asked quietly.

Prussia didn't reply so Germany reached out and stroked his hair gently.

"I don't like seeing you this way, Brother," Germany said. "If there's anything I can do, please name it."

Suddenly Prussia rolled over, fitting himself against his baby brother's muscular frame, nuzzling his face into Germany's well-defined chest. Germany was surprised by this but did his best to hide it, knowing that it would only embarrass him more. Instead, he welcomed Prussia, holding him close and rubbing his back comfortingly.

"I had a dream," Prussia began, his voice muffled. "About back then, you know… when I… I lost my kingdom… It was always fucking freezing when I was with that fat bastard."

Germany knew that "fat bastard" meant Russia. He could feel Prussia starting to shake again and heard him sniffle.

"When I woke up, the room was like the inside of a freezer, so…" he broke off here with a half-hearted shrug and didn't continue.

"I see," Germany said. "I think I understand."

Prussia didn't like being cold, especially after the incident with losing his country. He needed warmth and gentle human contact to pull him back to the present and away from those terrible memories. Germany would provide those things to the best of his abilities. He tended to be quite busy these days and didn't have the time to spend with his brother that he would have liked and he felt bad for it. There had been numerous occasions where Prussia had attempted to instigate some fun brotherly activities and Germany had had to turn him down because he didn't have time. Well, he would make up for those times now. His brother needed him and he was going to answer his call.

"Should I make you some tea, Brother?" Germany asked, thinking it would help him warm up faster.

"Nah, this is good," Prussia muttered. "These freaking huge muscles of yours used to just piss me off, but they're pretty warm, huh?"

Germany continued to rub his back. Prussia's shivering was beginning to slow, but his forehead still felt a bit unnaturally warm where it rested against his collarbone. He really hoped Prussia wasn't coming down with something.

"Thanks for doing this, West," Prussia murmured. "Sorry about this. I… I know it's totally not like the awesome me to be so disgustingly needy and shit, but…"

"It's ok," Germany assured him. "It's nice to be able to act like a good brother for you sometimes instead of a 'lame-ass workaholic'."

Prussia winced slightly at hearing Germany repeat the harsh words he had used against him while Germany was simultaneously doing him a favor. "I didn't mean that… about you being lame and all."

"I know you didn't, Brother," Germany said, and he couldn't help smiling slightly.

He pulled the blankets higher up to his brother's shoulders and resumed the back-rub.

"Hey West? Can I ask you one more thing?"

"What is it?" Germany asked.

"Don't…" Prussia paused, feeling stupid and childish, but he had to say it. He could feel himself going red again and he was glad that the room was dark enough to hide it. "Don't fall asleep before me…ok?"

Germany smiled slightly. "Understood," he agreed.

Prussia took a deep breath and released it unsteadily as he closed his eyes. Germany lie silently in the dark, hugging Prussia, his eyes obediently open, until he heard the telltale slow and deep breathing issuing from his brother's body. He looked down at Prussia and confirmed that he really had drifted off. Germany touched a shy kiss to the top of Prussia's head.

"Sleep well, Brother."


End file.
